Door check and closer



April 17, 1951 A. E. KUNZL 2,549,6ii

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER Filed Aug. -21, 1947 1 1 a Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.44/ v fivvew 702. 1 4/1/0250, AU/VZL A. E. KUNZL 2,549,6H

DOOR cmscx AND CLOSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 1?, 1951 Filed Aug. 21,1947 Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR CHECK ANDCLOSER Andrew E. Kunzl, Marshall, Mich., as'sign'or to Pittsburgh PlateGlass Company, Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication August-21, 1947, Serial No. 769,912

This invention relates to hinging door checks and closers for mountingand controlling swinging do ors,- and one of the principal objects ofthe invention is to provide an improvedstructure of cam and controllingmechanism by which force is applied directly to the hinge spindle of thedoor to yieldably resist swinging of the door to and from apredetermined position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved. combinationof cams, springs and dashpot action as applied to a hinge spindle of adoor to control the swinging movement thereof.

In one form of the invention a floating piston having cam followerstheron is mounted upon a hinge spindle which'is formed with a cam trackto receive the cam followers. Rotation of the spindle about a verticalaxis moves the'piston vertically in a bath of fluid, such as oil, whichis enclosed in a chamber containing the mechanism, and, in conjunctionwith a'dashpot arrangement, the vmovement of the piston is checked inone direction while it is permitted relatively free movement in theopposite direction.- In other words, the door opens freely from a closedor dead center position" and it is checked returning' to' suchposition.Springsengag'e the piston on one side, and through a camm'ing action,force is transmitted'from the springs to the door toclose it against thechecking" action of the dashpot arrangement;

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary diagrammatic illustration of a door' equippedwith my improved door check and closer and the mountings therefor in aframe structure; Fig. 2 is a plan, on a large scale of adoor checkingand hinge mechanism; Fig; 3 is a vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line III- III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an irregular verticalsection taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig- 2; Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section taken substantially along the line VV of Fig. 4;Fig.6 is a diagrammatic planof a development of a cam track included inthe structure shown in the other figures of the drawing; and Fig. 7 is afragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line VII-VIIof Fig. 2.

In practicing the invention a swinging door H1 is disposed: verticallyin a frame l2 in which upper and lower spindles l4 and are verticallyaligned to carry the door in its swinging motion in opposite directionsabout a vertical axis defined by the spindles. The lower cam spindle l5constitutes a part of a door hinge and checking. and closing. mechanismwhich includes a casing 2| mounted in a protective metal box 22'. Arigid support 23, such as a part of a cement of concrete floor structureof a building, receives the box 22 rigidly set therein. I

The casing 2| including its cover 24 encloses influid tight relation theworking parts of the hinge and; checking mechanism. The cover 24 issecured and centered upon the casingby means hag-3,9; which is formedin: a boss 40 in the bottom of the casing receives the bearing plugrigidly therein and in fluid tight relation. The bottom of the camspindle is is thus spaced by the boss and bearing structure from thearea of the bottom of the casing surrounding the boss '40-.

The cam spindlet5 which operates about a vertical axis uponthes'upporting bearings and 31- is formed at its lower end with an annular' ri-m or flange 4 within which the lower race rings 35"arefitted'.The upper portion of the spindle P5 'issurrounded by a stufling boxllz'designed to prevent escape of'fluid 43 con tained in the casing.This stuffing box is car'- ri'ed in a collar 44" that is screw threadedin the cover 24 tocon'fine' the upper bearing poembers 34 in properposition. The fluid 43 may be a suitable oil. The body portion of thecamI spindle I5 is substantially cylindrical and is formed with an endlesscircumferential 'cam track or channel 45', a development of which isillustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6. An an nular block in the'form ofa piston fits coaxially around thelc'a n spindle 5 and is slidablevertically thereon. The inner vcylindrical walls of the casing 21' andthe outer cylindrical sur face of the" piston 'fit closely together incoaxial sliding relation. It is to be understood that the spacebetweenthe outer surfaces of the spindle l5 and theinner cylindrical wall ofthe casing 21 constitutes an annular chamber 5, in which the'p'is'ton 58is vertically reciproc'able'.

Vertically disposed compression springs 52 having. their lower endsconfined in sockets" 53 formed in theuDpeifSi'de of the piston arespaced a i l o at ns around annular bod? of the piston. The upper end ofthese springs are confined in sockets 54 formed in the lower side of thecasing cover 24. These springs are installed under compression.

Vertical posts 58 and 59 (Fig. 3) are anchored at their lower ends, asindicated at 9B, in the bottom of the casing 2I in fluid tight relation.Gaskets GI surround the upper portions of the posts, and pressure rings62 are fitted over re duced upper portions of the posts so as to restupon shoulders 64 formed thereon. The gaskets are thus confined inrecesses 55 in thecasing cover to prevent leakage of fiuid at thislocation. The upper portions of the posts are dispose-d in coveropenings 68 so positioned as to insure vertical alignment of each postwith respect to its upper and lower anchorage mountings. When the cover24 is applied to the casing the gaskets BI are compressed and the postsare thus secured in fluid tight relation with respect to the cover.Vertical openings 59 in the annular piston receive the posts in slidingrelation so that the piston can reciprocate vertically, but is heldagainst rotation.

' Diametrically opposite bearing pins 80 are screw threaded, asindicated at 8|, in the body of the piston and they are horizontallyaligned in co-axial relation. Roller bearings 82 carried upon the innerends of the pins support cam followers 83 which are in the form ofrollers and are confined in the cam channel 45. The rollers 83 normallyrest upon symmetrical lower cam sections 8 of the cam channel under theinfluence of the compression springs 52 which bear down- Wardly upon thepiston 50. These lower cam sections communicate with similar higher camsections 85 which are also on the lower wall of the cam channel. Uponrotation of the cam spindle I about the vertical axis the rollers 83ride upon the lower wall of the channel 45 and are forced upwardly ordownwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of the spindle andthe position of the rollers in the cam track. In this way, movement ofthe piston 58, from any position depends upon rotation of the spindleI5. However, it is tobe understood that from a dead centerposition ofthe rollers 83 the latter are forced upwardly in response to rotation ofthe spindle in either direction. The lower sections 84 of the camchannel are formed to correspond substantially to the curvature of therollers 83 and there is appreciable space between the upper wall of thecam channel and the adjacent peripheral portion of each roller 83.

Humps 86 forming parts or extremities of the lower cam sections aretraversed by the rollers 33 as the spindle is rotated in eitherdirection from its normal or dead center position. Likewise, at theupper cam sections 85 similar humps 89 are provided between whichportions of the peripheries-of the rollers are respectively disposed.When the rollers are disposed in these sections appreciable force mustbe exerted in rotating the spindle in order to initiate movement of therollers over the humps and thence to the other sections of the camchannel.

2 The lower spindle I5 is mounted rigidly on the door Ill which iscapable of being swung on the spindle approximately 90 in eitherdirection from its normally closed or dead center position. Until thedoor is opened it is maintained in its closed position by the pressureof the springs transmitted through the rollers 83 to the cam track whilethe rollers are resting in the lower cam sections 84. As the door beginsto open the rollers must first traverse the humps 88 in response toappreciably more force than that required to continue the swinging ofthe door to its open position. As the door approaches its extreme openposition the rollers are forced over the humps 59 and the contour of thecam channel in the sections is such that the door can be maintained inthe extreme open positions by the resistance ofiered by these humps.However, only a slight degree of force applied to the door is necessaryto start the door in its swinging movement back to its closed positionunder the influence of the force exerted by the springs 52.

In order to limit the movement of the door or to prevent over-swingingbeyond its open position, as determined by the upper cam sections 85, astop rojection 99 is formed upon the lower rim ll of the spindle I5. Astop plate 9| is disposed in the lower portion of the casing 2| and isprovided with an anchoring lug 92 which fits into a'recess 93 in theinner Wall of the casing. Notched portions 94 of the plate fit closelyabout the lower end portions of the vertical posts 58 and 59 further tostabilize the plate and prevent accidental displacement thereof. Twostop shoulders 95 formed on the plate 9I aredisposed in such positionthat the stop projection 99 strikes one or the other of these shoulderswhen the door H) is swung to an open position.

In order to control the operation of the piston 5i! under the influenceof the operation of the springs 52 a dashpot action is provided in thechamber 5| in response to upward and downward movement of the piston. Atleast two of the sockets 53 of the annular piston communicate with thelower side of the piston through openings Hill in which one-way ballvalves IBI are mounted. Each valve is held yieldably against a valveseat I02 by means of a coil spring I03 which is in turn held undercompression by means of a tubular plug I04 screw threaded into the lowerportion of the opening I00. It is to be understood that the fiuid in thecasing flows freely through each valved opening and through the tubularplug I04, when the-piston 50 is moved from a lower position to an upperposition, but the valve is closed and remains closed during downwardmovement of the piston. That is, the movement of the door in opening itis not materially resisted by the fluid flowing through the valvedopenings I00 as the cam spindle is rotated in either direction from thedead-center position indicated in Fig. 4.

Needle valves I05 and IE6 are mounted in openings H18 and I09 formedlongitudinally in the posts 58 and 59, respectively. Intermediateportions of these valves are screw threaded, as indicated at H2 and II3,in the posts 58 and 59, respectively. The upper portions of the needlevalves are formed with circumferential channels i Id and H5 whichreceive packing rings H6 and II? respectively. These packing ringsprovide fluid tight fitting of the upper ends of the needle valves inthe openings I08 and I09.

Ducts I 20 and IZI communicate through the walls of the hollow posts 58and 59 with the upper area of the chamber 5| above the piston 59. DuctsI23 and I24 are formed vertically in the screw threaded portions of theneedle valves to provide for fluid communicating between the upper andlower portions of the hollow posts 58 and 59, respectively. By adjustingthe needle valve I05 verticallyin response to turning it in its screwthreaded mounting, the lower portion the lower portion of the post witlqr branching ductsections I31 formed vertically along the oppositesides of the post The upper extremities of the duct sections ISI arelocated at least ashigh.

as thelower edge of. the piston 50 in it's-dipper position. Fluid canthus. colmrlunicateithrough the post 58' from the upper torthelower'sides of the-piston 50.. andv the. flow of: such fluidais, con.-trolled by regulating the needle valve I05 which can be set as desired.During the entire movement of the piston from its upper position to itslower position the fluid will flow uniformly through the valved openingsin the post 58, and in an amount determined by the adjustment of theneedle valve.

The other needle valve 59 can be adjusted vertically to regulate theflow of fluid through a duct I35 in the lower portion of the post topermit the desired amount of fluid to flow from the upper to the lowerside of the piston. A transverse duct section I36 communicating with themain duct I35 opens at its opposite extremities into the lower portionof the chamber 5| below the piston when the latter is in its upperposition. When the door begins to close and the piston begins to movedownwardly from; its upward position fluid will flow relatively freelyfrom the lower side of the piston to its upper side and the initialclosing of the door will be relatively rapid. As soon as the lower edgeof the piston slides past the transverse duct section I36 the flow offluid through the valve openings in the post 59 is then substantiallystopped and the speed of the closing door is reduced by the relativelylimited flow of fluid permitted through the ducts I30 and I3I alone. Thep0sition of the transverse duct I36 is such that the door is checked toa very slow speed during the last 20 to 25 of its movement until itassumes a closed position. The speed of this final closing movement isdetermined by the amount of fluid permitted to flow through the ductsI30 and ISI.

The protective metal supporting box 22 includes in its structure fourupright corner posts I40 welded therein, as indicated at I4I, to form arigid supporting structure. The casing cover 24 overhangs the casingbody 2| and is fastened securely to the protective box 22 by means ofexternally threaded leveling nuts I42 that are screw threaded into thecasing cover 24 in such position as to rest upon the upper ends of thefour corner posts I40. Locking screws I43 extend slidably through theleveling nuts I42 and are screw threaded into the upper end portions ofthe corner posts I40. By manipulating the nuts I42 and tightening thescrews I43 to lock these nuts in adjusted positions, the assembledcasing 2| and cover 24 can be positioned with precision for supportingthe door IE].

A shielding plate I55 covers the casing cover 24 and is secured theretoby means of suitable screws I46. A dust shield in the form of a cap I48fits around the upper portion of the spindle 'wl l In a' door checkstructurefa casing; having; vertically aligned bearings therein andhaving upper and lower walls, a hinge spindle rotatable in s'aidbearings and saidspindle :having a camtraclr -disposed" along theoutercircumferential portion thereofg means for holding the spindleagainst axial displacement in the'casing,. said cam track having lowercam areas and uppertcam.

areas, apair of spaced upright posts anchored in stationary pas-remainthe upper and lower walls of the casing, a block surrounding the spindleand being axially slidable in non-rotatable relation upon the uprightposts, said block having thereon cam followers projecting inwardly fromopposite directions onto the cam track and normally resting in the lowercam areas, anchoring. means securing said followers on the block, aseries of resilient members confined under compression between the uppersides of the block and the upper wall of the casing and yieldablyresisting movement of the cam followers from the lower cam areas to theupper cam areas in response to turning of the spindle in its bearings.

2. In a door checking structure, a sealed fluid containing casing havingupper and lower walls, a hinge spindle rotatable in said bearings andhaving a cam channel extending circumferentially thereon, said cam trackhaving lower cam areas and upper cam areas, a pair of upright postsanchored in the upper and lower walls of the casing, a block surroundingthe spindle and slidable upon the upright posts, said block includingoppositely disposed cam followers normally disposed in the lower camareas and movable to the higher cam areas in response to rotation of thespindle in either direction, said posts having valved ducts extendingtherethrough and communicating through the upright posts from upper tothe lower sides of the block for a passage of fluid in the casing fromone side of the block to the other, valve members exposed on the outsideof the casing and being selectively operable in said ducts to regulatethe passage of fluid therethrough, a oneway valve communicating from theupper to the lower side of the block at a location spaced from theposts, and a series of resilient members confined under compressionbetween the upper side of the block and the upper wall of the casing andresisting movement of the cam followers from the lower cam areas to theupper cam areas in response to the turning of the spindle in eitherdirection in its bearings.

3. In a door checking structure a sealed fluid containing casing havingupper and lower walls, a hinge spindle rotatable in said bearings andhaving a cam channel extending circumferentially thereon, said cam trackhaving lower cam areas and upper cam areas,- a pair of upright postsanchored in the upper and lower walls of the casing, a block surroundingthe spindle and slidable upon the upright posts, said block includingoppositely disposed cam followers normally disposed in the lower camareas and movable to the higher cam areas in response to rotation of thespindle in either direction, valved ducts leading from upper tothe lowersides of the block through the upright posts for a passage of fluid inthe casing from one side of the block to the other, a one-way valvecommunicating from the upper to the lower side of the block at alocation spaced from the posts, and a series of resilient membersconfined under compression between the upper side of the block and theupper 8. wall of the casing and resisting movement of the REFERENCESCITED cam followers from the lower cam areas to the higher cam areas inresponse to the turning of i figg gggg a of record m the the spindle ineither direction in its bearings;

said ducts having sections terminating at difier- 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS ent distances from the bottom of the casing to Number Name Dateregulate the degree of checking action of the block 665,603 Henry Jam 8,1901 as the latter moves toward the bottom ofthe 1,688,428 Morganmtg-23,1928

casing. 10 2,158,417 Garrison Mair 16, 1939 ANDREW E. 2470.156 PopivaloAug 22, 1939

